Scott Haywood, District 3 communications director for the Oklahoma State Department of Health, told the Journal-Capital that a meeting has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Osage County Health Department building in Pawhuska to review the 2023-24 budget for the county Health Department.

Haywood said that for the meeting to be held Nov. 9, there will have to be a quorum present of the county’s health board. He recommended that persons interested in attending the meeting call the Osage County Health Department in advance to make sure a quorum is anticipated. The telephone number to call is 918-287-3740.

Osage County levies a quarter-penny of sales tax for the Health Department. Questions have arisen about how that money is spent, and county officials have expressed concern. The Health Department budget was not among the budget proposals presented to the county commissioners for their review and approval.

County Clerk Robin Slack has characterized the Health Department budget as a “cash account” matter that is presented to the Osage County Excise Board for review. To date, there has been no 2023-24 budget proposal for Health Department funding to present to the Excise Board because it has not been decided upon.